Facebook.com/PublicEnemyPublic Enemy is being inducted in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on Thursday night, becoming only the fourth hip-hop act ever to receive the honor. Legendary actor/singer Harry Belafonte and filmmaker Spike Lee will induct PE, who also will perform at the ceremony.

Previous Hall of Famers include Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, the Beastie Boys and Run-D.M.C. Llooking back on his group's induction in 2009, Darryl "D.M.C." McDaniels tells ABC News Radio that it was an honor to even be considered for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

DMC says he has a special appreciation for his rock peers, explaining, "We used to take their music and rap over it in the parks, at the block parties. Then, even when we got to go in their studios, we still were sampling it, rapping over it..." When critics said that rap was just a fad, DMC says "it was always the rockers who showed us respect 'cause it was the same emotion but different presentation."

Other artists being inducted this year include the late disco queen Donna Summer, the female-fronted rock group Heart, the Canadian progressive rock band Rush, and singer-songwriter Randy Newman, the guy who writes and sings many of the songs featured in those Disney-Pixar animated movies.

Jennifer Hudson, Usher, Christina Aguilera and John Mayer will all be on hand during the ceremony, taking place at the NOKIA Theater L.A. LIVE in Los Angeles. Aguilera and J-Hud will perform in honor of Donna Summer. Mayer will induct Albert King and will also perform a tribute to him. Usher will sing a tribute to super-producer Quincy Jones, who's getting a lifetime achievement honor.

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ceremony will be filmed by HBO and will air May 18.